1. Field of Invention
This invention relates generally to portable computing devices having a data communications interface. More specifically, the invention describes a method and apparatus for use in a portable computing device having at least one kind of input, at least one kind of output, and a data communications interface.
2. Description of Related Art
Recent developments in consumer electronics have included the introduction of portable computing devices having a data communications interface. Exemplary devices of this kind are smart phones, tablet computers, and portable multimedia asset players with internet capabilities. When a user desires to obtain information about whether a certain entity meets certain user-specified quality criteria, one of these devices can be used to locate and accumulate information about that specific entity. If a certain amount of information that is deemed to be sufficient by the user has thus been accumulated by the user, the user can decide whether the specified entity meets the user-specified quality criteria or not. Entities can include but are not limited to identifiable objects, such as products, services, places, persons, organizations, events, concepts, etc.
What is required is a method and apparatus that provides for user-friendly and efficient obtention of entity-related decision support information based on persistent, user-supplied preferences in a portable computing device having a data communication interface.